Skopje, 14 September 2021 (MIA) – Business should look at things differently – instead of profit, they should focus on the environment, society, people, and entrepreneurs, especially younger ones, should put their innovative capacities not just at the disposal of their own companies, but also at the disposal of their community, representatives from the Fund for Innovations and Technology Development (FITD), the Association for Research, Communications and Development “Public” and Business Impact Lab said on Tuesday during the presentation of the first public call for encouraging social entrepreneurship. The call entails co-funding for social enterprises focused on at least one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Projects should look for ways to end poverty in all its forms everywhere; end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture; ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all; achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls; promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all, etc. Assistance budget stands at Mden 6 million, available for eligible civil associations, companies founded up to six years ago, as well as teams of two-five people. The public call was issued September 9, and the application deadlines is October 22. FITD is set to provide up to 90% of the project budget, but up to Mden 1.5 million, while applicant should provide the rest. Projects should be implemented within 12 months, but the FITD can also grant six-month implementation extensions. “I’m proud that the Fund is investing for the first time in social entrepreneurship development and offering solutions for some of the key issues social entrepreneurs face in North Macedonia, such as lack of funding, etc. By creating the right business model and strategy, we’re helping social entrepreneurs create a model which is both impactful and financially sustainable,” FITD Director Kosta Petrov said. He also listed the main criteria for selection of proposals, including: level of innovation, project team capacities, quality of project, implementation potential, i.e. market potential, and project impact. Public call partners “Public” and Business Impact Lab are set to provide individual mentor assistance for selected projects, focusing on impact communication and allowing access to national and global programs for business scaling. “Capitalism has failed to produce the expected results. On the contrary, it damaged societies. This call is a guideline for creating a more responsible system, in which we all participate. It’s also set provide financial instruments for social enterprises. In a way, it’s a call for businesses to look at things differently – to focus on the environment, society, people, instead on profit. It also aims to encourage young entrepreneurs to put their innovative capacities not just at the disposal of their own companies, but also at the disposal of their community,” said the executive director of the Association for Research, Communications and Development “Public”, Klimentina Ilijevski. According to Kristijan Mileski, co-founder of Business Impact Lab, FITD has a clear goal when it comes to enhancing the capacities of social enterprises. “Individual mentor sessions will further strengthen the impact entrepreneurs strive to achieve, which will promote their growth and development at the domestic, as well as at the foreign market,” Milevski noted. The application process and necessary documents are available at https://fitr.mk/sp. The public call was issued on September 9, but the presentation had to be postponed until today due to the Tetovo modular hospital tragedy. Therefore, the application deadline, FITD’s Petrov said, has been extended by 15 days.